Tensions Between Greece and Turkey: The Underreported Story

By Scott Morgan

You have to admire Turkish President Erdogan for a certain level of Panache. He has been hiding his internal issues with a series of moves including sending Turkish Forces to the Syrian City of Afrin with the threat of a move towards Manbij and a potential confrontation with US Forces. His bullying of the Kurds within Turkey led to the aborted Independence Effort by Kurdistan and is now playing out in another theater.

One of the most underreported stories is the remaining tensions between Greece and Turkey. It has been decades since the two countries have been involved in actual conflict that being said with events in Syria, Northern Iraq and Ukraine very rarely is this story being reported by the Elite Media outlets.

Here is an interesting and chilling statistic. In 2016, the Greek Air Force reported 1,671 violations of its airspace by the Turkish Air Force. Compare that to the response by NATO to intercept Russian Aircraft which  took place 780 times. Guess what the media thought was more newsworthy?

While the rest of the world was riveted by the impending Allied Strike in response to the Chemical Attack in Ghouta there were several reports of Dogfights between the Greek and the Turks over the Aegean. Earlier this month Greek Forces fired upon a Turkish Helicopter flying near the Island of Ro which was in the area and not using its navigational lights.

Reports are now emerging that, on the 12th of April, another dogfight occurred. During this encounter the Greeks lost an F-16 fighter and the pilot was killed. This was not covered yet again by major media outlets due to their excitement of the impending strike against Syria which took place within 24 hours.

So, there are several questions that deserved to be asked:

1. Why does President Erdogan get criticized for his actions in Syria but when it comes to provoking the Greeks not a peep is heard from the Media or Western Governments? 
2. Could it be that the EU is in fear that he could renege on his deal regarding Refugees and send them into Europe? He has threatened to do so in the past..

Another concern is his willingness to discuss the future of Syria with both Russia and Iran. It is interesting to note that often these conversations do not even include Bashar Assad, the President of Syria. So, what nefarious goal does the Turkish President have? It seems that he has dreams to recreate the Ottoman Empire by any and all means necessary - with himself as Pasha.

What should be done to assist the Greeks? We cannot answer that until they ask either NATO or the EU what they want done (to address the activities of the Turks)...But they are willing to fight and in the chaotic Eastern Med that speaks volumes.

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